Staple extracting device



April 17, 1951 s. E. SUDBURY STAPLE EXTRACTING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 4, 1947 FIG.6

INVENTQRI SHERMAN E. SUDBURY BY w 6M.

ATTORNEYS.

April 7, 1951 s. E. SUDBURY 2,549,260

STAPLE EXTRACTING DEVICE Filed April 4, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 SHERMAN E. SUDBURY 71 04 5M ATTORNEYS.

INVENTORI Patented Apr. 17, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STAPLE EXTRACTING DEVICE Sherman E. Sudbury, Chicago, Ill.

Application April 4, 1947, Serial No. 739,417

10 Claims.

My invention relates to devices employed for extracting staples from papers, manuscripts, etc., and one object is to provide a device of this kind which not only secures a grip on the staple but also operates to extract the same without any manual pulling exertion on the device as a whole.

A further object is to provide a device of the above character which primarily secures a biting engagement with the back or crown of a driven staple coupled with a prying action, and which includes means to impose a secondary or lifting movement on the staple and draw the same out of the paper or manuscript in which it is lodged.

A still further object is to operate the device with a primary gathering movement causing the engagement of the staple, and with a secondary sliding movement to lift the staple free.

Another object is to design the device for retention between the thumb and forefingers of one hand, and for complete manipulation. without changing the hold thereon or requiring the aid of the other hand or any adjunct or accessory.

An additional object is to design the device for retention by means of applied handles adapted to be grasped between the thumb and fingers.

A still further object is to construct the device in a manner to control the ejection and disposal of the freed staple without manual or other aid and in a chosen place or direction.

An important object is to design the device compactly and with a minimum number of parts consistent with efficient operation.

With the above objects in view, and any others which may suggest themselves from the description to follow, a better understanding of the in- I vention may be had by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is an elevation of one form of the device approximately full size;

Fig. 2 is a view from the right-hand side of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section from the front, or as taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4;

Fig. l is a cross-section taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 6 is a similar view after the secondary control has been exercised;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing one modification of the left-hand unit of the device;

Fig. 8 is a similar view, showing another modification;

Fig. 9 is a view of the device modified as per Fig. 8 where the left-hand unit has been retracted in the manner indicated in Fig. 6;

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing one modification of the right-hand unit of the device;

Fig. 11 is a similar view, showing anothermodification;

Fig. 12 is a section on the line l2-l2 of Fig. 10;

Fig. 13 is a section on the line l3l3 of Fig. 5 to illustrate the initial gathering effect of the modification of Fig. 10; and

Fig. 14 is a similar view showing the ultimate lifting effect of the said modification.

In accordance with the foregoing, the device may be considered as generally composed of a pair of opposed units, specific reference to the drawing showing these at Ill and II. The units are of firm sheet metal and formed as facing rectangular channels. However, the walls l2 of the unit II] are more closely spaced than the walls I3 of the unit I l to the extent that the unit l9 may fit slidingly between the walls of the unit H. In such event the assembly assumes the substantially triangular form indicated in Fig. 1. The device is normally maintained in this form by an internal arrangement whose description occurs in a later section.

It is noted that the walls of the units [0 and H are cut inwardly from the backs of the channels a short distance from the bottom to form rounded edges I5. These terminate at the bottom with pointed teeth I6 whose inclined upper edges are indicated at I I. These edges make substantially right angles with upward edges 18; and the latter formcorners IS with pockets 2!]. The corners relating to either unit may be rounded.

Figs. 3 and 4 show a batch of sheets 25 bound by a conventional staple 26. When the device is positioned astride the staple as shown in Fig. 3, the teeth I6 occur in pairs on opposite sides of the crown or back of the staple. The backs of the units carry transverse handles 21 and 28 of plastic or other light and attractive material, the drawing showing them extended with feet 29 secured to the units by screws 30, although the handles may be secured in any other suitable manner. Thus, when the handles are compressed between the fingers as indicated in Fig. 5, the units of the device will gather and cause the teeth IE to engage the crown of the staple from the under side, as indicated in Fig. 5.

The gathering action of the units Ill and II is based on a pivoting connection between them. Thus, the unit II is made with a cross-pin 35 near the top and with a second cross-pin 361 about one-third way down. These cross-pins are in line with the upward edges 18 of the unit. The walls of the unit H] are formed with a pair of slots 38 and 39 extending in line with the upward edges N3 of the unit. Fig. 3 shows that the crosspin 35 passes through the upper ends of the slots 38 in unit Ill. The cross-pin 36 passes through the end of a lateral bend 40 made fromthe upper end of each slot 39 in unit it in the direction of the unit II. The upper cross-pin 35 therefore forms the pivot between-the units It) and I ll and back'of the unit 1 l.

spring 42 is coiled around the cross-pin .35, and

the other arm 46 of the spring bears against the The purpose of the slots 38 and 39 is to permit the unit to be moved upwardly after the gathering, of the units brings the pin 36 in line with the slots. The upward movement of the unit I l! is resisted by a coil spring 48 wound freely around the arm 42 of the hairpin spring, one end of the coil spring bearing against the lug 43 and the other against the coil of the hairpin spring. Y

With the staple 26 positively engaged as in Fig. 5, the forefinger may now be pressed with upward influence on the handle 21 to raise the unit It to the extent indicated in Fig. 6. This action is first efiective to draw the staple free from the batch of sheets and in a purely vertical course between the upward edges I8. However, when the staple reaches the rounded corners 19 of the unit I I, it yields to the gathering pressure of the units and climbs into the pockets 2!] of the unit ll while still supported on the teeth Id of the unit It. In climbing over the said rounded corners the staple takes a partial turn, as indicated in Fig. 6. r

The staple is now supportedin the closed pockets 20 of the unit H and is also looked against endwise or lateral movement, so that it cannot slide or fall out of the device. The tool, thus holding the extracted staple, may now be carried to a position over a waste tray or basket and allowed to spread or expand back to its original form. This action permits the staple to drop out of the pockets 2B and freely fall into a whole to free the staple, the simple upward pressure on the unit In accomplishes the operation. Now the device forms a retainer for the staple until a place is reached where it may be discarded. At such time it is not necessary to pick the staple out of the device in order to discard it, since the simple release of pressure thereon procures that result.

From the handling viewpoint, it is apparent that only one hand need be used. for holding and operating the device throughout its entire use, and that the handles 21 and 28 are arranged in staggered positions for a'mere hold on the device when it rests on the sheet batch, but for a balanced hold when the handle 21 is drawn upwardly and the device raised off the sheet.

Further, the handles are at points distant from where the device is applied, so that they do not obstruct the visionin that connection. Finally, the mechanism of the device is all on the inside,

One'arm of the latter passes freely.

where it is protected from injury and permits the exterior of the device to be neat and simple in appearance.

The modifications of Figsl 7 and 8 are similar in principle and designed for the positive dislodgement of the staple from the unit ll. Thus, Fig. 7 shows a tongue 59 projecting inwardly from the back of the unit In in spaced parallelism to the edges I? of the teeth l6. Fig. 8 shows a pair of lugs 52 extended from the side walls l2 of the unit I!) in upwardly spaced relation to the said edges H. In both cases slots or passages 53 parallel to the edges I! are formed in or alongside the unit walls [2; and the outer or closed ends of the passages may be formed with pockets 5 cut in the edges II. The primary and secondar operations of the modified device are the same as in the original form thereof, Fig. 9 showing that the staple has been raised with the unit It] and is being held in the device. However, when the unit 10 is released to descend and swing away from the unit l!, the tongue .5llor lugs 52-will act as pushers to draw the staple'away from the unit H and overcome any tendency of the staple legs to cling to the walls l3 of such unit. In fact, the staple may find a rest in the pockets 54. In any event, when'the release of the unit ll occur above a waste receptacle, the staple slides out of the unit It as a matter of course and drops into the receptacle.

The modification of Figs. 10 to 14 is also designed to insure the withdrawal of the staple from the unit H. Thus, the backof the unit H is'bent at the bottom with a medially positioned inward tongue 56. The location of the latter is such that it is in the path of the crown of the staple as the latter is raised by the retraction of the unit it. Thus, Fig. 13 shows the position and form of the staple before it is withdrawn from the work. It is now conceivable that the legs of the staple will have a tendency to hug or. cling to the walls l3 of the unit II as the retractive or secondary movement of the unit It follows. In the present modification the crown of the staple meets-and becomes indented beyond -i :s point of elasticity by the tongue 56 at the top of the lifting movement. This action induces the spread of the staple legs free of the walls of the .unit II. It is understood that the tongue 55 may be made as a separate part and attached to the back of the unitll; or, the tongue may be replaced by ascrew 51 driven through such back, as shown in Fig. 11.

While I have described the invention and its modification along specific lines, various minor changes or refinements may be made therein without departing from its principle, and I reserve the'rlght to employ all such changes and refinements as may come within the scope and spirit of the appended claims. I

I claim:

1. A device for extracting a staple from work secured by the same comprising a pair of opposed units, prying element's carried by the units and engageable with the staple to loosen the same when the units are gathered, and means rendering one "unit movable longitudinally with respect to the other unit when the units are in the gathered position, the prying element of said unit being operable in such event to draw the staple free from the work, the units being pivoted'to each other by a cross-pin at their outer endsfa slot in said unit receiving said cross pin in the same unit extending inwardly fromthe first slot and spacedly alined with the same, a lateral branch from the outer end of the second slot in a direction toward the other unit, and a second cross-pin carried by the latter and passing through the end of said branch, the latter forming a clearance relative to the second crosspin to permit the gathering swing of the units while looking them against relative longitudinal motion, and the units being capable of such motion when the second cross-pin becomes located in the outer end of said second slot.

2. A device for extracting a staple from work secured by the same comprising a pair of opposed units, prying elements carried by the units and engageable with the staple to loosen the same when the units are gathered, and means rendering one unit movable longitudinally with respect to the other unit when the units are in the gathered position, the prying element of said unit being operable in such event to draw the staple free from the work, the units being channels with facing hollows and the side walls of one channel overlapping those of the other, a cross-pin passing through the walls of the channels at their outer ends to render the units pivoted to each other, companion slots in the walls of said unit receiving said cross-pin and extending inwardly therefrom, second companion slots in the walls of the same unit extending from the first slots and spacedly alined with the same, companion lateral branches from the outer ends of the second slots in directions toward the other unit, and a second cross-pin carried by the walls of such other unit and passing through the ends of said branches, the latter forming a clearance relative to the second cross-pin to permit the gathering swing of the units while looking them against relative longitudinal motion, and the units being capable of such motion when the second cross-pin becomes located in the outer ends of said second companion slots.

3. A device for extracting a staple from work secured by the same comprising a pair of opposed units, prying elements carried by the units and engageable with the staple to loosen the same when the units are gathered, and means rendering one unit movable longitudinally with respect to the other unit when the units are in the gathered position, the prying element of said unit being operable in such event to draw the staple free from the work, the units being pivoted to each other at their outer ends, and handles carried by the units, the handle of the movable unit being staggered inwardly from that of the other unit and carried by the movable unit during the course of its movement to a position even with the other handle.

4. A device for extracting a staple from work secured by the same comprising a pair of opposed units, prying elements carried by the units and engageable with the staple to loosen the same when the units are gathered, and means rendering one unit movable longitudinally with respect to the other unit when the units are in the gathered position, the prying element of said unit being operable in such event to draw the staple free from the work, said units being channelswith facing hollows, the side walls of one unit overlapping those of the other unit, a cross-pin passing through the walls of the units at their outer ends to render the units pivoted to each other, and a torsion spring with the middle portion coiled around the cross-pin and its legs seating in the backs of the units, such spring being tensioned when the units are gathered.

5. A device for extracting a staple from work secured by the same comprising a pair of opposed units, prying elements carried by the units and engageable with the staple to loosen the same 'whenthe units are gathered, and means rendering one unit movable longitudinall with respect to the other unit when the units are in the gathered position, the prying element of said unit being operable in such event to draw the staple free from the work, said units being channels with facing hollows, the side walls of one unit overlapping those of the other unit, a cross-pin passing through the wall of the units at their outer ends to render the units pivoted to each other, a torsion spring with the middle portion coiled around the cross-pin and one leg engaging the back of the other unit, an abutment carried by the movable unit and freely receiving the end portion of the other torsion spring leg, and a compression spring coiled around said other leg between the abutment and the coil of the torsion spring to resist the movement of the movableunit. a e

6. A device for extracting a staple from work secured by the same comprising a pair of opposed units, prying elements carried by the units and engageable with the staple to loosen the same when the units are gathered, and means rendering one unit movable longitudinally with respect to the other unit when the units are in the gathered position, the prying element of said unit being operable in such event to draw the staple free from the work, said units being channels with facing hollows, and the side walls of the movable unit being overlapped by those of the other unit, edges of the later rising from the prying elements thereof to guide the staple as it is drawn away from the work, and pockets in said side walls above said edges and adapted to close on the staple for the retention of the same between the units until these are separated.

7. A device for extracting a staple from work secured by the same comprising a pair of opposed units, prying elements carried by the units and engageable with the staple to loosen the same when the units are gathered, and means rendering on unit movable away from the work when the units are in the gathered position, the prying element of said unit being operable in such event to draw the staple free from the work, said units being channels with facing hollows, the side walls of one channel having spaced upper and lower slots therein and the side walls of one channel overlapping those of theother, upper and lower pivot pins extending through the channels and lying in the slots, said slots and pivot pins constituting a slide joint between the units, the lower pin engaging the lower slot to lock the units against longitudinal movement when the units are spread from the gathered position.

8. A device for extracting a staple from work secured by the same comprising a pair of opposed units, prying elements carried by the units and engageable with the staple when the units are gathered, and means rendering one unit movable longitudinally with respect to the other unit when the units are in the gathered position, the prying element of said movable unit being operable in such event to draw the staple free from the work, said prying element having a stapleengaging notch in its lower end and the said notched prying elementlongitudinally movable with respect to the other prying element, such movement between the prying elements dislodging the staple and the return longitudinal movement of the movable prying element discharging v thestaple out of the tool.

9. A device for extracting a staple from work secured by the same comprising a pair of opposed units, prying elements carried by the units and engageable with the staple when the units are gathered, and means rendering one unit movable longitudinally with respect to the other unit when the units are in the gathered position, the prying element of said movable unit being operable in such event to draw the staple free from the work, said prying element having a staple-engaging tooth and an inwardly projecting tongue spaced from the upper edge of the tooth to define a staple-engaging slot in its lower end, the said prying element being longitudinally movable with respect to the other prying element, such movement between the prying elements dislodging the staple and the return longitudinal movement of the movable prying element discharging the staple out of the tool.

10. The structure of claim 1, said device including a relatively fixed jaw and a jaw movable longitudinally with respect to the fixed jaw, and an abutment mounted on the fixed jaw and positioned to engage the crown of the staple after the same has been removed from the work but just prior to the limit of longitudinal movement of the movable jaw as the'jaw moves the same past the fixed jaw to deform the staple crown and spread the legs of the same whereupon release of the tool the staple is free to discharge therefrom.

SHERMAN E. SUDBURY;

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Curtiss Dec. 2, 1947 

